Employee Advice

Cold or Influenza?

Often it can be difficult to decide if one has a cold or a flu infection. A common cold is a milder, though uncomfortable illness. Flu is an acute respiratory illness, which usually causes high fever, severe weakness and fatigue. The symptoms of colds and flu are compared below. Please note that these symptoms are common to a variety of other medical conditions as well. Note that in infants/young children, special care should be taken to not confuse the symptoms of influenza with meningitis.

Common Flu Symptoms	Common Cold Symptoms
Sudden Onset of Symptoms High Fever - Temperature over 38ºC/100.4ºF Severe weakness and fatigue Dry cough Aching muscles and joints Sore throat Headache Runny nose Vomiting / diarrhoea	Sneezing Blocked nose, or a runny nose Pain when swallowing Mild fever - temperature between 37 and 38.3°C or 98.6 and 101.0°F Mild earache Tiredness Headache Coughing

What Should I Do If I Think I May Have The Flu?

• Most People do not need treatment with anti-viral medications and are able to recover at home.
• You may need to stay off work for up to 7 days.
• Discourage any visitors.
• Take Paracetamol to reduce the symptoms. Note that Aspirin should never be given to children or teenagers with Flu, as it can cause a rare but serious neurological condition known as Reye’s Syndrome.
• Drink plenty of fluids.
• Phone the HSE Freephone Flu Information Line 1800 94 11 00. Listen to the information on symptoms and home care.
• If you feel you have flu symptoms and need medical advice, phone your GP. Your GP will decide if you need anti-viral treatment or testing.

Most people with flu will recover within a few days. Contact your GP if you don’t improve.

How Do I Avoid Spreading A Cold or A Flu?

• Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing with paper tissue if possible – viruses spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
• Use a tissue only once and dispose of it quickly and carefully.
• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or an alcohol based hand wash.
• Tell your children and others to follow this advice.

Higher Risk Groups

Some people are at higher risk of complications from flu. They may require additional treatment or monitoring. These people should contact their GP by phone as soon as they develop symptoms of flu. This list of high risk groups is not exhaustive, but includes the following conditions:

• People with chronic diseases like heart failure, lung disease, diabetes, liver cirrhosis, neurological diseases, kidney disease or inflammatory bowel disease;
• People whose immune system is impaired due to treatment, for example from cancer chemotherapy, high dose oral steroids (greater than 20mg daily Deltacortril / Presnisolone daily ), immunosuppressant drugs for Rheumatoid Arthritis, Crohns Disease & Ulcerative Colitis, anti-rejection drugs following organ transplantation;
• People whose immune system is impaired due to disease, for example cancer, HIV infection, surgical removal of spleen (asplenia);
• Children under 5 and pregnant women, particularly pregnant women in the 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy ie beyond 14 weeks gestation;
• People who are severely obese, Body Mass Index over 40;
• Persons with Haemoglobinopathies (e.g. Sickle Cell Disease);
• Persons with Chronic Asthma, defined as asthma requiring hospitalisation, steroid treatments in tablet/ injection form, regular/continuous use of preventative/reliever inhalers.

When To Seek Medical Advice

If you have taken the basic care steps outlined above and you start to feel worse, or if after a few days you are not feeling better, you may need more advice from your doctor. You should contact your doctor if you notice the following symptoms:

• Shortness of breath at rest or while doing very little;
• Painful or difficult breathing;
• Coughing up bloody sputum;
• Drowsiness, disorientation or confusion;
• Fever for 4-5 days and not starting to get better (or getting worse);
• Starting to feel better then developing high fever and feeling unwell again.